What You Can Expect When You Visit the Church of Christ
We want you to visit us at the
Background
A brief description of our
background may help you understand us. We are a part of "The
Restoration Movement." Our goal is to "restore" the
New Testament church in our time --- to determine from the Bible what the
church was like in the beginning, and to be like that. We believe this is a
worthy and reverent goal. We want to be a Bible - centered church. And we try
to be. Yet we know that our conclusions aren't flawless, and that our practices
are sometimes colored by habit, preference, tradition, or convenience. Now, let
us walk you through a worship service. There may be some variations from this
description, because every
The
Setting
Some churches of Christ meet
in homes or rented facilities. However, most, for the sake of convenience, have
erected a church building. You will enter what we refer to as the "auditorium."
There will be rows of chairs or pews for the worshipers. There are no reserved
seats, so feel free to sit anywhere you choose.
Singing
In a bookrack near you, there
will be a hymnbook for your use. When the song leader announces a number, you
can turn to that number in the hymnbook to find the words and music. One of the
unique things about churches of Christ -- and something you may find strange --
is that the music is "a cappella." That is, we sing without
the accompaniment of musical instruments. This is a conviction with us,
not just a preference. It has its roots in our restoration heritage. We
are seeking to worship according to the New Testament pattern. Since the New
Testament leaves instrumental music out, we believe it's best to exclude it,
too. (1)
You may consider us narrow on this point. But we
believe you will respect our reason for it, and our conviction. And we think you'll
find the singing meaningful, with everyone being invited to participate.
Prayer
There will be several prayers
during the service. And there may be prayers for specific needs and requests.
Preaching
You will notice that the
preacher doesn't have a title. He won't be referred to as Pastor or
reverend. He may be addressed as Dr., but only if he has earned that
academic credential. He will probably be referred to as brother. Or Mister.
Or, possibly, just called by his first name. He won't be wearing any
ecclesiastical vestments that set him apart. The reason for this is our belief
in the priesthood of all believers. That all are equal. (2) The sermon will
likely be from 20 to 30 minutes. We think you will find it refreshingly Bible-centered.
Invitation
At the close of the sermon, the preacher will "extend
an invitation." This is simply an expedient time to invite those who
are moved to do so to make a commitment or request prayer support. He will
encourage those who wish to "respond" to come to the front of
the auditorium while the congregation sings a hymn.
Don't feel ill-at-ease during this invitation. You will not be singled out in
anyway. There may be several who respond. Or none. Some may respond for
baptism. Some to confess sins. Some to "identify" or "place
membership" with this congregation. If someone responds for baptism,
you will witness the baptism during this service. The baptism will be by
immersion. (3) And it will be for the
remission of sins. (4) For those who would
desire a more private response or conversation, the elders or ministers of the
congregation are available following the conclusion of the service. (Just ask
anyone to point them out to you.)
Lords
Supper
If you visit on a Sunday
morning, the Lord's Supper will be included in the worship proceedings ----
because churches of Christ observe this memorial every Sunday.
Again, the reason for this is our desire to follow New Testament teaching. The
first century church celebrated this observance on the first day of the week. (5)
We assume from this that they did it the first day
of every week. And we know from respected historians that in early centuries
the Lord's Supper was an every-Sunday Commemoration. (6) During this
memorial, plates containing pieces of unleavened bread will be passed
throughout the congregation. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus. (7) Each participating
person will break off a piece of the bread and eat it. Next, trays filled with
small cups will be distributed. The cups will contain "fruit of the
vine," usually grape juice, symbolizing the blood of Jesus. (7) Each participant
will drink the content of one of the cups. If you choose not to participate,
don't be embarrassed. Feel free to pass the plate or tray to the person next to
you.
Offering
Also, if you visit on a
Sunday morning containers will be passed to collect the weekly financial
offering. (8)
As our guest, you are not expected to make a donation. Feel
perfectly comfortable in just passing the collection plate on down the row.
What
Will Be Expected of You
Nothing at all! You are welcome to participate. But don't feel obligated to.
Just observe, if that is your choice.
You may be asked to fill out a visitor’s card. This simply provides information
so the church can write or call to thank you for your visit. Supply the
information if you are comfortable doing so. But feel free to decline this
request if you prefer.
The
People
What kind of people can you
expect to find? Pretty much the entire spectrum, as in any group. You will find
traditionalists----and you'll find those who prefer anything new over everything
old. You will find those of us who mistake our traditions for absolute truth,
and get pretty bent out of shape when they are tampered with. And you'll find
those of us who are a bit smug at having been liberated from tradition. You
will find legalists and liberals----and a lot of people in between. You will
find happy people---and grouchy people. Friendly people---and unfriendly
people. Loving people---and cantankerous people. People who are learning---and
people who already know everything.
You get the picture. We're a diverse group, coming from varied backgrounds, and
at different stages of knowledge and spiritual growth. We don't know
everything. We don't do everything right. We don't always treat each other as
we should. We haven't arrived----we're just on the journey. But, you see, we
were not brought together by any illusion of our perfection or righteousness.
We were brought together by our recognition that we are sinners in need of the
cleansing blood of Jesus. (9) That's the reason we can
worship together, stick together, and, with God's help, accomplish some things
that make a difference. You won't have to look very far to find our failures. But,
bottom line, you will find people who love Jesus and love the Bible. We hope
you will come visit us soon.
(1)
1 Corinthians 14:15 ; Ephesians 5:18-19 ; Colossians 3:16 ; Hebrews 2:12 (2)
Matthew 23:8-12 ;
Galatians
3:26-28 ; 1 Peter 2:5-9 (3) Acts 8:35-39 ; Romans 6:3-4 ; Colossians 2:12 (4)
Acts 2:38 (5) Acts 20:7
(6) Neander,
Eusebius (7) 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (8) 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (9) Mark 2:17;
Romans 5:6-9;
Ephesians
1:7 ; 1 John 1:7